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Necorunda
The massive forests around Serisia hide many things. Mostly hostile monsters, crazy old hermits, and the occasional logging company or Freelancer party trying to get to Serisia to loot it. A lucky explorer might find some forgotten tribe of primitive humanoids. A luckier one might wander into the Goldoak Forest, and stumble upon Necorunda- the Kingdom of Talking Beasts. This is no easy task of course, the Necorundans are a very private and wary group. Their small nation is kept safely hidden by powerful magics cast by one of Jhaia's Aspects, the great dryad Tukil. Given that few wield magic so powerful as Tukil's, the only reliable means of meeting with the Necorundans is to wander throughout the forests around Serisia in the hopes of running into golden xenoak trees. About the only people capable of finding the place with any modicum of ease are the Xizuthie, but they're usually far too involved with other peoples to bother looking for Necorunda. So even though the beast kingdom is well known, it is not often visited, and very rarely given consideration with regards to Charybdan politics. Necorunda is believed to have been developed in a fashion similar to how the Cyber-Tarrasque built its own little kingdom in Telo-Haljr's Nelniva district. The Serisians also used enhanced beasts in their defense, though they relied less on cybertronically augmented monstrosities and more on magical beasts and uplifted animals and vermin. By granting common creatures the gift of full sapience and longer lifespans, they became a very potent tool in the Serisian defense force- while lacking the outright destructive power of the Cyber-Tarrasque and its legions, they were excellent spies and saboteurs, while the largest beasts were magnificant fighters, and their magical abilities could change the tides of a battle in moments if given the opportunity. They never rebelled against their creators and masters as the Cyber-Tarrasque did though, and fought on till the bitter end. Most of those that survived banded together, learning from the humanoids the benefits of society and teamwork on a grand scale, and forged into the wilderness to make for themselves a new home. How the creatures came across Tukil or earned her protection is unknown; even amongst the Necorundans it is a subject of legend more than historical fact. This is in no small part due to how primitive they have lived until the last fifty years. Progress in Necorunda has been considerably slow due to their lack of dextrous digits capable of fine object control and an omnipresent fear of angering T ukil and losing her protection through landscape-altering developments that could threaten the Aspect's beloved trees. Only in the last half century or so have they actually figured out how to develop things like housing and simple mechanical stratums through slow and tedious tool use and magical enchantment and empowerment. These developments, while ultimately simplistic, have vastly improved the quality of life for the Necorundans. The diverse beast population has experienced an unprecedented boom thanks to such improvements, and even though they are adding hitherto unheard of social stresses, there isn't a single soul that isn't pleased with these developments. Even Tukil is proud of the creatures, as they have not only learned how to adapt and make progress, but they have done so without damaging the ecology. Of course, such benefits have caused significant changes to the kingdom's social dynamics. Despite the best efforts of the monarchs, there is a slow but steady increase in tensions as the common creatures come up with new potential solutions to new problems, and argue over whose solutions are best. In general, there are two primary groups- those who believe it would be best to simply expand their borders and claim more territory, and those who would rather set out and become part of the international community. There are many sub-factions and vagaries of course, but these are the two prevailing ideologies that have so far proven irreconcilable. Fortunately not to the point of violence- the monarchy will not allow that- but a solution will be needed soon, and nobody is certain which will be best for the kingdom, and debates rage in both political courts and public forums over which will ultimately serve the nation best for its continued survival and growth. Both ideas have their merits and flaws. Simple expansion means remaining hidden from all but the most ardent or hapless of wanderers while claiming more territory, but Tukil will not hide those claimed regions and the beasts themselves would need to maintain the magics needed to obscure it. Opening up means foreign trade and spreading the population to other nations, and implies that they won't need to hide themselves anymore; but it also means inviting outsiders who do not share their values and opens up the prospect of war with hostile powers, which the Necorundans have not faced since Serisia was destroyed. Even the royal court cannot say which will be the best path, and Tukil has only said she will support whichever path they choose, so long as they do not upset Nature's delicate balances. The debate does not threaten to tear the kingdom apart, but it does threaten to delay the issue until a choice is forced rather than prepared for. Necorunda is overseen and guided by the gentle hands of King Kastil, a particularly intelligent, old, and wise Thunder Behemoth who fought alongside the humanoids in Serisia, and Queen Stellaria, an Emperor (or more accurately Empress) Kirin said to be descendant of one of the Dragon Lords. The two nigh-immortal beasts take the mo st indirect methods to rulership, only appearing in the Phoenix Court when it is necessary to make announcements, hand down judgments, or otherwise perform public acts of rulership typically expected of monarchs. It would be unfair to say that they are slow to act for the good of the kingdom, but it often seems that way, as most of the time the common beasts must handle things for themselves. Sometimes it feels like they vanish for years at a time to parts unknown, only to reappear and hand down royal decrees when it is absolutely necessary to keep the kingdom from falling or tearing itself apart. Nobody is entirely certain why they do this, but all agree that they are fair, just, and kind to those beneath them, and so there are few if any real criticisms. The same is often true of the rest of the royal court- the whole thing is composed almost wholly of powerful, old magical beasts like Chancellor Fainwrit, for whom the Phoenix Court is named. The Necorundans are, by and large, an affable 'people'. They believe strongly in the concepts of teamwork, togetherness, and the ties that build lasting friendships. But only with each other- they are wary, often afraid, of outsiders; especially humanoids. The legends and stories passed down from generation to generation have painted the mortal races as very warlike and untrustworthy in the eyes of most Necorundans. Part of this fear comes from the kingdom's lack of a truly organized military presence. There are a few martial orders, such as the Order of the Grey Orchid, which protect the kingdom from hostilities and less sociable monsters, but such orders are few in number, owing to the societal tendency towards pacifism. Said pacifism is also the reason that it is exceedingly rare for more than a handful of Necorundans to venture past their borders in search of fortunes beyond the Goldoak Forest; though those who survive often bring back considerable riches and fascinating objects from their travels, along with stories to challenge their fellows' ingrained perceptions and beliefs about the outside world. Nieron Back to Main Page